Flashlights

ABSTRACT

A portable flashlight-lantern with an adjustable and detachable mount means for a light emitting head allowing use of light in several ways. When attached to, and used with the better case it can be used as a regular hand held flashlight or it can be clipped to user&#39;&#39;s trouser belt or in shirt pocket. The adjustable mount allows directing the beam of light where needed. Also, a neck and/or head strap is provided so the unit can be suspended by this strap, like a camera, leaving the user&#39;&#39;s hands free. The light emitting head, with its adjustable mounting, can be detached from the battery case and used as a head lamp, strapped to the user&#39;&#39;s head, cap, or hat. An extension cord allows the battery case to be clipped to user&#39;&#39;s trouser belt, shirt or coat pocket. In other user situations the light emitting head can be placed remotely from battery case into cramped locations and the like. Magnets are a part of the detachable mount and light emitting head so with its adjustable mount the light head can be placed on a magnetically attracting surface and adjusted to direct light beam where needed.



1. A eportable, self-contained electric lamp comprising in combination: A. a casing; B. a source of electric energy contained in said casing A; C. a light emitting head including a bulb, reflector means, and an outer housing with a transparent front wall; D. adjustable mounting means for detachably securing said light emitting head to said casing for rotational movement about a horizontal and vertical axis including:
 1. a ''''U''''-shaped bracket having a horizontal bottom portion and two prongs extending upwardly a vertical distance; said upwardly extending prongs being provided with means for mounting said light emitting head C between said prongs for rotational movement about a horizontal axis;
 2. a support member having an essentially flat and essentially rectangular plate and two essentially parallel flanges, each flange situated at one end of said plate, and extending downwardly therefrom; and
 3. pin means securing the bottom portion of said ''''U''''-SHAPED bracket D(1) to the central portion of said rectangular plate D(2) for rotational movement of said bracket D(1) about a vertical axis; E. said casing A being provided with a means for detachably securing said adjustable mounting means to said casing comprising two arms, extending upwardly, adjacent and coextensive with the exterior sides of flanges D(2), said arms having a retaining means for preventing vertical movement of said adjustable mounting means D relative to said casing comprising a lip which extends inwardly from the upper free end of each arm so as to form with the casing a space into which the support member D(2) (a) can slide horizontally while held against vertical movement, said arms and said flanges being provided with a means for preventing relative horizontal sliding movement therebetween while said adjustable mounting means D is secured to said casing A. F. means for electrically connecting said light emitting head C to said energy source and for maintaining said electrical connection while said light emitting head C is detached from said casing and positioned for use away from said casing. G. switch means included in said electrical connection for opening and closing the electrical circuit created by said connection.
 2. a support member having an essentially flat and essentially rectangular plate and two essentially parallel flanges, each flange situated at one end of said plate, and extending downwardly therefrom; and
 2. A portable self-contained electric lamp as defined in claim 1, characterized in that means for preventing relative sliding movement between said arms and said case comprises a magnet mounted to at least one of said flanges D(2), said arms on said casing A being constructed of a ferromagnetic material capable of attracting said magnet means.
 3. pin means securing the bottom portion of said ''''U''''-SHAPED bracket D(1) to the central portion of said rectangular plate D(2) for rotational movement of said bracket D(1) about a vertical axis; E. said casing A being provided with a means for detachably securing said adjustable mounting means to said casing comprising two arms, extending upwardly, adjacent and coextensive with the exterior sides of flanges D(2), said arms having a retaining means for preventing vertical movement of said adjustable mounting means D relative to said casing comprising a lip which extends inwardly from the upper free end of each arm so as to form with the casing a space into which the support member D(2) (a) can slide horizontally while held against vertical movement, said arms and said flanges being provided with a means for preventing relative horizontal sliding movement therebetween while said adjustable mounting means D is secured to said casing A. F. means for electrically connecting said light emitting head C to said energy source and for maintaining said electrical connection while said light emitting head C is detached from said casing and positioned for use away from said casing. G. switch means included in said electrical connection for opening and closing the electrical circuit created by said connection.
 3. A portable self-contained electric lamp as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said means for preventing the relative sliding movement comprises a flat strap, having loops at its ends, each of said adjacent arms and flanges D(2) having an elongated aperture into which each loop may be inserted said apertures in each arm and flange positioned so as to be in alignment when said support means is inserted into said space; said means further including two pins, each having a length greater than the width of said strap and the length of said apertures; whereby said pins may be inserted into said loops in a cotter key fashion in order to prevent said relative sliding movement by retaining said strap.
 4. A portable self-contained electric lamp as defined in claim 1 characterized in that a resilient pad is attached to said support means, D(2in order to cushion said mounting means D when it is detached from said casing and worn on the hat or head of user.
 5. A portable self-contained electric lamp as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said electrical connecting means E includes a flexible electrically conductive wire which is covered with an electrically nonconductive insulation material and extends from the casing A to the light emitting head C.
 6. A portable self-contained lamp as defined iN claim 1 characterized in that the casing A is provided with a clip means for attaching said casing A to the belt of the user.
 7. The invention of claim 1 wherein the energy component consisting of said casing A and said energy source B comprises a battery capable of receiving and securing said adjustable mounting means D, E, and circuit means F and G.
 8. The invention of claim 1 wherein the mount means described in E for member D(2), comprises an essentially rectangular strip of metal secured to the top of casing A with ends of strip formed to project outwardly and further, with the ends of these upwardly projecting ends turned inwardly for a distance and with the resulting structure thus formed being capable of receiving and retaining in a friction-interference fit, said support member D(2).
 9. The portable self-contained electric lamp of claim 1 wherein said support member, D(2), has, as part of said flanges, magnet means, one to each flange, that permits the placing of light emitting head C and mount means D remotely from casing A onto any attracting surface.
 10. A portable self-contained electric lamp comprising in combination; a casing containing a source of electric energy within, a light emitting head comprising a housing with bulb, reflector means, and a transparent front wall, and an adjustable mount means for detachably securing said light emitting head to said casing, said mount means permitting rotational movement of said head about a horizontal and vertical axis wherein said mounting means comprises a ''''U''''-SHAPED bracket having a closed bottom portion and two prongs extending upwardly a vertical distance with said prongs having rotatively secured betwixt them, said light emitting head permitting rotational movement about a horizontal axis, and secured to said bottom, closed portion of said ''''U''''-SHAPED bracket, a second member, comprising an essentially rectangular plate rotatively secure to said ''''U''''-SHAPED bracket at the central part of said ''''U''''-SHAPED bracket and to said second member permitting rotation of light emitting head about a vertical axis, and further, said second member, having at its ends, flanges extending downwardly for a distance, with magnet means as part of said flange ends, and further, secured to said casing with sad electrical energy source within, a third member, comprising two semirigid forms projecting outwardly from said casing, forming a space, between them capable of receiving and retaining said light mounting means, and further, electrical circuit means connecting said electrical energy source to said light emitting head, with switch means a part of said circuit means capable of turning said light on and off.
 11. The portable, self-contained lamp as defined in claim 1 wherein, at the extreme ends of said ''''U''''-SHAPED bracket D(1) said prongs have pivotably secured to them, extension links, comprising elongated members pivotably secured at one of their ends to the ends of the said prongs of said ''''U''''-SHAPED bracket D(1) and in turn having means at their free ends, for the mounting of said light emitting head C between them, for rotational movement of said light emitting head about a horizontal axis and further, allowing maximum pivoting traverse about a horizontal axis and also permitting the said light emitting head to swing closer to said casing A and allowing a shorter overall length thereby for storage or for carrying. 